Packing material retainer for journal boxes of railway cars



July 12, 1932.`

C. A. ZWEIBEL ET AL PACKING MATERIAL RETAINER FOR JOURNAL BOXES OF RAILWAY CARS Filed Aug. l. 1929 Patented July 12, 1932 narran srAres PATENT; OFFICE.A

cnARLEs A. zwEIBnL Nn rnnononn OHARA sEoHRIsT, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY PACKING MATERIAL RETAINER FOR JOURNAL BOXES F RAILWAY CARS Application inea August 1, 1929'. serial No. 382,638..`

o eficient lubrication at all times, without any special attention being given thereto. j

Another object of the invention is to provide holding means forwaste or other paclring material for journal boxes of railway cars which prevents accidental displacement of the waste,`wherein vmeans is provided for yieldingly holding thewaste forcibly against the ournal member to properly lubricate the same at all times, and further to Ycompensate 20 for wearing away of the waste and compression of the same Vdue to the actionfofthe rotating journal member, thereby eliminating the necessity for frequent repacking ofthe journal box and upsetting and adjusting'of the packing material.A

A still further obj ect of the invention is to provide a holding means of the character indicated in the preceding paragraph, wherein the holding means also serves as a reservoir vfor the lubricating material. j Y

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thev description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view through a journal box of a railway car illustrating our improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a vertical, transverse sectional view'corresponding substantially to the lineY2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a top plan view of our improved holding means. vFigure l is a front end elevational view thereof. Figure 5 is a bottom plan view showing a modified form of invention. And Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view of a detachable retaining member em- Y ployed in connection withV our improved holding means. f y L In. said drawing, 10` designates generally a journal box of common design having Vside walls 11-11; a transversely curved bottom wall 12 a straight top wall 13 a vertical back wall 14 provided with an opening 15 for the journal member of the railway car axle, a

relatively short front walll 16 forming a continuation of the bottom and side walls, the front wall being` curved upwardly and laterally as shown in the drawing. The edges of the top, front and side walls at the outer side of the lj ournal box define the usual opening 17 through which access is had to the interior of the journal box. The opening 17 is closed bythe usual cover4 member, not shown. lThe top wall is provided with hinge pin-receiving `eyes 18 for the cover plate. rlhe journal box is also provided with the' usual brass 19k which cooperates with a journalportion of theaxle anda cooperating retaining or holding member 20.' The vaxle whichV cooperateswith the journal box is of the usual form and is indicated in the dr'awfv ing by 21 and has the journal portion proper 22 thereof disposedv within thejournal box. and cooperating with the brass 19. The journal portionof the axle member is enlarged yor flared at opposite ends as indicated at 23-23 to form dust guard means, and 'the outer laredend of the j ournalmember terminates in the. usual collar 24. Y

In carrying out our invention, we provide a separate'cellar or trough-like holding member 25 formed o-f sheet material having apair of detachableretaining members orplates 26 connected thereto, thecellar beingseated in the journal box beneath the 'journalv 22 of the axle 21. The cellar 25 is defined by a continuous curved Ybottom wall'27 conforming in contour to the bottom wall 10 of the journal box, vertical side walls' 28 -28 extending `lengthwise. of Athe journal member and spaced therefrom,7 as clearly shown'in Figure 2 and front and rear4 endwalls 29 and 30 formingcontinuations of the bottom wall and sidewalls. The entire cellar or holder is preferably formed of a single piece of sheet metal, 'being die-shapedor stamped to proper form. The rear ,end wall 30 1s curved as clearly shownii'n Figure 2 and has the upper end thereof spaced from the outer surface of the journal member so as to provide a considerable amount of clearance therebetween. The front wall 29 is curved vertically and transversely to conform to the curvature of the front wall 16 of the journal box. As shown, the wall 29 extends to a greater height than the central portion of the rear wall 30 and the side walls are higher than the end wall 29. As shown, the front end portions of the side walls where they connect with the front wall are cut away on an inclination kas indicated at 31-.'31, VthusV permitting ready access to the interior of the holder. Adjacent the upper edge, each side wall 28 is provided with a pair of longitudinally alined slots 32-32 for a purpose hereinafter described.

Plate spring members 33e-'33 are secured to the bottom wall of the reservoir `or'holder aS Clearly shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the plate springs being preferably four in, number, two being disposed lengthwise of the holder at opposite sides of the center thereof and the' lremaining two being disposed transversely of the holder lat theY vfront and rear ends thereof. LThe longitudinally disposed plate springs have `the opposite ends thereof bowed downwardly as indicated at 34 and are secured to the bottom wall 27 about rivets v35y or any other suitable ,securing means. The transversely disposed plated springs 33. are also secured to the bottom wall 27 by rivets at the center of the same, the opposite. end portions of theY plates being Curved upwardly bowed. away from theV surface of the bottom wall. As will be evident, the spring plates 3 3 cooperate with thek bottom wall. of .the journal box to resiliently support the holder and urge the same.

upwardly toward the journal member.

The holder contains waste or any other suitable packingmaterial which is indieated gene-rally by the .Character 36 in the drawing. In this connection, it is pointed lout that the holder being formed of a single piece of Sheet material forms. a liquid tight receptacle and serves to. retain the oil, grease or other lubrioating material employed Connection with the packing or wastewithin the holder- The retaining members 26 are attached at the opposite side walls 28 of the holder, each being .in the form of an elongated plateflike member having a down turned front end portion .37 from which extends laterally inward-f. 1y a horizontally disposed flat arm 38.. The inner side of eaoh plate .26. is out away or notched, at the. forward ondas indicated at 39 to accommodate the Collar portion 2.4 of the journal member A.t the rear end each plate 26, is. eut away at an angle as indicated at. 40 so as to provide clearance for the flaring enlarged portion 23at the rear end of the journal member proper. At. the onteiedge each plate26; is provided with spaced lateral, outwardly extending horizon: tal retaining tongues 41741 having right angularly upturned end portions 42-42. The tongues 41 of each plate extend through the slots 32 of the corresponding side wall 28 and thereby detachably connect the plate to the holder. The slots 32 are of such a size that a certain amount of rocking movement is permitted of the tongues therewithin so that the plates 26 may be turned to a Vertical position to dispose the portions 42 of the tongues in the slots 32 and permit withdrawal of the same in a lateral direction to disconnect the plates from the holder. In attaching the plates 26 to the holder, the same are disposed in vertical positions and the portions 42 of the tonguesl are inserted in the slots 32 of the side walls 28 of the holder. The plates 26 are then turned to a horizontal position to dispose the portions 41 of the tongues in the slots 32. In this position, the body portions of the plates rest on top of the waste or other packing material in the holder and prevent escape of the same from the holder between the side walls and the surface of the journal member. As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3, the arms 38 of the plates extend in front of the journal member and bear on top of the packing, thereby forming continuous hold down means extending across the outer face of the journal member between the same and the lfront end wallof the holder.

Referring to the modification illustrated in Figure 5, the holder is of substantially the same construction as that hereinbefore described and is provided with retaining plates similar to the members 26, but differs from the construction described, in' that spiral spring members are substituted for the plate spring members 33. As clearly shown in 'Figure 5, the bottom wall of the holder 25 has a`plurality of spiral spring members 43-43 i affixed thereto, the same being secured in any suitable manner, preferably by being soldered or welded to the bottom wall. As shown, nine such spiral spring members are employed, the same being arranged in two rows of four each extending transversely of the holder and a central member disposed between said two rows. The spiral springs 43 bear on the bottom wall of the journal box similarly to the plate springs 33 and force '1' the holder upwardly toward the journal.

member of the'axle so as to maintain the waste or packing material in intimate contact with the surface of the journal member. ln applying our improved retaining means to the journal box, the holder is first inserted into the box beneath the axle member. The waste material is then placed within the holder and the retaining plates 26 attached to the side walls in the manner hereinbefore pointed out.

From the preceding description taken in connection with the drawing, it will be evident that we have provided an exceedingly simple and eliicient holding means for the waste or other packing material of the journal box, wherein the packing material is at all times held in intimate contact with the bearing surface of the journal member and is prevented from escaping into the journal box proper between the side walls thereof and the axle member and kept from working in between the upper surface of the journal member and the brass.

It is further pointed out that by providing the automatic means for holding the packing against the journal member, the necessity for repacking and adjusting the packing of the journal box is reduced to a minimum, thereby saving considerable labor and expense, and further avoiding resultant unnecessary delay in transportation.

We have herein shown and described what we now consider the preferred manner of carrying out our invention, but the same is merely illustrative and we contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

l. In a journal box cooperating with the journal portion of a car axle, said journal box having a curved bottom wall the combination with a trough-like, one piece sheet metal holder for waste, said holder having a curved bot-tom wall, endwalls and side wall members, said holder being disposed in the journal box beneath the journal portion of the axle with `the side walls in embracing relation, but spaced from said journal portion; of a pair of detachable retaining cover members for the waste anchored to said side walls and spanning the space between the upper portions of said side walls and the journal portion of said axle.

2. in a journal box cooperating with the journal portion of a car axle, the combination with a trough-like holder for waste, said holder having side wall members, said holder being disposed in the journal box beneath the journal portion of the axle with the side walls in embracing relation, but spaced from said journal; of a pair of cover plate members hinged to t-he upper edge of the side wall members and spanning the space between said upper edges and the bearing surface of said journal portion.

3. In a journal box cooperating with the journal portion of a car axle, the combination with a trough-like holder for waste, said holder having upstanding side wall members, said holder being disposed in the journal box beneath the ournal portion of the axle with the side walls in embracing relation, but spaced from said journal; of a pair of cover plate members hinged to the upper edge of `he side wall members and spanning the space between said upper edges and the bearing surfaces of said journal portion, said hinged connection being formed by cooperating retaining tongues and grooves on said members.

4. In a journal box cooperating with the journal portion of an axle member, the combination with a trough-like holder for waste, said holder being disposed in said journal box beneath the journal portion of the axle member and having upstanding side wall portions partly embracing the journal member but spaced therefrom, said side wall portions having retaining slots; of separate cover plates at opposite sides of the journal portion of the axle overhanging the waste in said holder, said cover plates spanning the space between said journal portions andsaid side walls; and retaining tongues on said cover plates extending through the slots of the side walls to hinge the plates thereto, said tongues having angularly bent retaining yend portions.

5. In a journal box cooperating with the journal portion of a car axle, the combination with a holder for waste, said holder having side wall members, said holder being disposed `in the journal box beneath the journal portion of the axle with the side walls in embracing relation, but spaced from said journal; of a pair of cover plate members hinged to the upper edge of the side wall members and spanning the space between said upper edges and the bearing surface of said journal portion, each of said cover members having a transversely disposed front arm overlapping the front end of said journal member and bearing on the waste in said holder.

6. A holder for packing materia-l for journal boxes cooperating with journal members of car axles, comprising a reservoir of sheet material having spaced side walls adapted to partly embrace said journal member in spaced relation thereto; and a pair of cover plates detachably connected to the upper sides of saidwalls and adapted to extend along opposite sides of said journal member, each of said plates having a downturned front end portion provided with a laterally7 inwardly extending arm adapted to engage the packing material in said holder.

7. A holder for packing material for journal boxes cooperating with journal members of car axles, comprising a'reservoir of sheet material having spaced side walls adapted to partly embrace said journal member in spaced relation thereto; and a pair of cover plates deta-chably connected to the upper sides of said walls and adapted to extend along opposite sides of said ournal member, each of said plates having a downturned front end portion provided with a laterally inwardly extending arm adapted to engage the packing material in said holder, said cover plates being notched at the outer ends to accommodate the collar portion of the journal member.

In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 22nd Y day of July, 1929.

CHARLESy A. ZWEIBEL. THEODORE OHARA SEGHRIST. 

